Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation and/or presentation. More particularly the present invention relates to a system for collecting, evaluating, and presenting data relating to electronic commerce. The system and methods of the present invention include one or more of the following: a module for stabilizing small or noisy samples of data, including the prediction of missing observations; alarm modules that alert an event handler when data values and/or rates cross specified thresholds; predictor modules that use recent historical data along with an estimated and/or available population function as the basis for a differential equation that defines the growth of the population to a saturation or maximum attainable level; and a dynamic icon that conveys to users of a system levels of predefined and/or observed activity occurring on the system.

Abstract: A system and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation and/or presentation is described. More particularly the description relates to a system for collecting, evaluating, generating and presenting data and/or information relating to electronic commerce. The system and methods include predictor modules that use recent historical data along with an estimated and/or available population function as the basis for a differential equation that defines the growth of the population to a saturation or maximum attainable level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation and/or presentation. More,particularly the present invention relates to a system for collecting, evaluating, generating, and presenting data and/or information relating to electronic commerce. The system and methods of the present invention include a module for stabilizing small or noisy samples of data, including the prediction of missing observations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation and/or presentation. More particularly the present invention relates to a system for collecting, evaluating, generating and presenting data and/or information relating to electronic commerce. The system and methods of the present invention include predictor modules that use recent historical data along with an estimated and/or available population function as the basis for a differential equation that defines the growth of the population to a saturation or maximum attainable level.

Abstract: A system and method for data collection, evaluation, information generation and/or presentation. More particularly the system is for collecting, evaluating, generating and presenting data and/or information relating to electronic commerce. The system and methods include predictor modules that use recent historical data along with an estimated and/or available population function as the basis for a differential equation that defines the growth of the population to a saturation or maximum attainable level.

Abstract: A system and method for the optimal allocation of investment funds among a portfolio of investments, and the optimal selection of candidate investments for the portfolio to optimize the financial risk of the investor relative to the financial returns. The system and method create risk tolerance functions for the investor which describe the investor's monetary utility through probability preferences with respect to specific currency amounts relative to the investor's overall assets restricted to the investors monetary range of interest. The risk tolerance function is then used in conjunction with a computed probability density function of the investment portfolio to create a probability density function of the investor's probability preferences with respect to the investor's risk tolerance function. The probability density function expresses the dispersion of risk preferences that the investor would experience as a result of the investment allocation.

Abstract: A computer system and method for optimally allocating investment funds of an investor in a portfolio having a plurality of investments, comprising: determining a risk tolerance function for the investor specifying the investor's probability preference at each of a plurality of monetary amounts relative to a monetary range relevant to the investor, and allocating the investment funds among the investments to create an investment allocation by maximizing an expected value of a first probability density function of the investor's probability preferences determined as a function of a second probability density function of the portfolio's predicted market performance with respect to the investment funds and the investor's risk tolerance function.

Abstract: A system and method to efficiently deliver multimedia interactive and linear programming on a large-scale network is disclosed. The system is designed to be hierarchical in nature in order to avoid the huge processing and storage requirements of a system utilizing centralized storage and system control. The stored program material is segmented into portions and each program segment is transmitted to the receiving system component in less than real-time on an as-needed basis. Methods for efficiently using system resources such as bandwidth, storage and processing time to maintain an optimally-performing system that results in minimal latency for the end-user's interaction with the system are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of disclosing a target pattern for identification. The methods are based on the principle of sequentially and non-lexicographically revealing, constructing and/or resolving a target pattern to players to permit the players to identify the target pattern. One such method includes the steps of masking the target pattern to make it imperceptible to the player, repetitively unmasking portions of the target pattern according predetermined unmasking steps, and continuing to unmask the target pattern until a completion criterion is met. Target patterns may consist of still images, audio segments, or motion video sequences depicting items and environments known to the players in their unmasked formats.

Abstract: Methods of disclosing a target pattern for identification. The methods are based on the principle of sequentially and non-lexicographically revealing, constructing and/or resolving a target pattern to players to permit the players to identify the target pattern. One such method includes the steps of masking the target pattern to make it imperceptible to the player, repetitively unmasking portions of the target pattern according predetermined unmasking steps, and continuing to unmask the target pattern until a completion criterion is met. Target patterns may consist of still images, audio segments, or motion video sequences depicting items and environments known to the players in their unmasked formats.